The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-06-01
Mexican Politics.

But the city IS not only the capital,
it is the center of all the political life
of the republic. For in all outward
forms this is federal republic. The
city and its environs form the federal
district in the State of Mexico. Be-
sides this State there are twenty-six
other States, each with its Governor
and local legislature, its system of
schools. The federal constitution is a
model one; there is all the machinery
of a republican government, two
elected houses, q President popularity
chosen for term of six years, who is
ineligible again until term has inter-
vened. But the President is in fact
elected by agreement among a knot of
leaders, and the office is q matter of
arrangement, bargained for usually a
long time in the future. Every Gov
ernor of State Is practically dictated
by this little junta at the capital; and
every officer, even to mayors of cities,
is so chosen. 1t is the most purely
personal government in the world.
Whatever elective forms are gone
through with, this is the fact. When
the first term of Diaz expired, Con
Zales came in by arrangement; when
ship. Diaz has a preponderance of
Indian blood, Gonzales of Spanish.
In his first term Diaz took an en-
ightened view of the needs of Mexico
and its external relations. He invited
capital and promoted railways by lib
eral subsidies. The railways were built;
the subsidies have not been paid. The
country was infested with brigands.
These brigands were not Indians, but
of the mixed Spanish race who had
possessions, and took to the highways
only on occasion, or when the country
was politically disturbed. Vigorous
efforts were made to suppress this by
the Government Gonzales had the
reputation of being the head of these
quasi-brigands. When he came into
power brigandage was still more effect
lively suppressed People say that his
method was to put all the brigands in
Office, make them Governors, Mayors,
and high district officials, where they
could make more than by intercepting
caravans, stopping diligences, and car
rying Oft owners of haciendas. And it
is universally believed in Mexico that
Gonzales, in his term of four years,
saved out of his salary between twelve
and eighteen millions of dollars, which
is now well invested. These leaders
are astute diplomatists, as wary and as
supple and subtle as the Turks. Who
ever makes treaty with them is likely
inv ests money in Mexico, either in pub
lie works or private enterprise, does so
at his risk. Any basis of confidence is
wanting in business. The Mexicans do
not trust each other. They always
seem surprised when foreigner does
as he said he would do. The moral
condition is something like that of
Egypt. The atmosphere of Egypt is
one of universal lying. We who are
accustomed to do business on universal
faith-the presumption being that
man is honest until the contrary is
proved-cannot understand a social
state where the contrary is the assump-
ton.
One can readily grant to Diaz patri-
otto intentions, and the desire to have
Mexico take an honorable place in the
world; but justice is not had priceless
in the courts-the officials are all serv.
ing their own interests and official cor
ruption is universal. And yet travel is
now safe, public order is maintained,
and thore is marked progress in educa-
ton. Still, whatever the government
is, there is no public, no public opin-
ion, no general comprehension of po-
litical action, no really representative
government or representative election.
There are few newspapers, the people
are not informed, and the mass of them
are Indifferent so long as they are per-
sonally not disturbed. In only one
case (the action of the Congress in re-
gard to the English debt-action pro-
NOTED by determined demonstration
of the students of the city, has there
been any sign of the independence of the
Legislature. Mexico remains, N effect,
a personal government with no political
public. L am making no sweeping
declaration as to the character of the
mongrel population; it has its good
points. These will appear as we travel
farther.-CharleS Dudley Warner, IN
Harper's Magazine.